# THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release 

### November 5 2009 

# MEMORANDUM FOR THEHEADS OFEXECUTIVE 

# DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT Tribal Consultation 

### The United States has aunique legal 

### and political relationship with Indian tribal governments established through 

### and confirmed 

### by the Constitution of the United States treaties statutes executive orders 

### and judicial decisions In recognition of that special relationship pursuant to Executive Order 

### 13175 of

### November 6 2000 executive departments 

### and agencies agencies are charged with engaging in regular

### and meaningful consultation 

### and collaboration with tribal officials inthe development of Federal policies that have tribal implications 

### and are responsible forstrengthening the government to government relationship between the United States

### and Indian tribes History has

### shown that failure to include the voices of tribal officials in formulating policy affecting their communities has all too often led to undesirable

### and at times devastating 

### and tragic results 

## By contrast meaningful dialogue between Federal officials 

### and tribal officials has greatly 

### improved Federal policy toward Indian tribes Consultation is a critical ingredient ofa

### sound and productive Federal tribal relationship 

## My Administration is committed to regular

### and meaningful consultation 

### and collaboration with tribal officials in policy decisions that have tribal implications including as an initial step through complete 

### and consistent implementation of Executive Order 

### 13175 Accordingly I hereby direct each agency head tosubmit to the Director ofthe Office of

### Management and Budget 

# OMB within

### 90 days afterthe date of this 

## memorandum a detailed plan of actions the agency will take to implement the policies 

### and directives of Executive Order 

### 13175 This plan shall be developed after consultation 

### by the agency with Indian tribes 

### and tribal officials as defined in Executive Order 

### 13175 I also direct each agency 

### head tosubmit to the Director ofthe

# OMB within 

### 270 days after the date of this

## memorandum and annually thereafter a progress report

### on the status of each action included in its plan together with any proposed updates to its plan 

### Each agency s plan 

### and subsequent reports shall designate an appropriate official to coordinate implementation of the plan 

### and preparation of progress reports required 

### by this

## memorandum The Assistant to the President for

### Domestic Policy 

### and the Director of the

# OMB shall review agency plans 

### and subsequent reports forconsistency with the policies 

### and directives of Executive Order 

### 13175

In addition the Director ofthe

# OMB in coordination with the Assistant to the President for

### Domestic Policy shall submit to

## me within 

### 1 year

### fromthe date of this 

## memorandum a report

### on more 

## OVER 2 the implementation of Executive Order 

### 13175across the executive branch based 

### on the review of agency plans 

### and progress reports 

### Recommendations for improving the plans 

### and making the tribal consultation process 

### more effective if any should be included in this report 

### The terms Indian tribe tribal officials 

### and policies that have tribal implications as used in this

## memorandum areas defined in Executive Order 

### 13175
The Director of the

# OMB is hereby authorized 

### and directed to publish this

## memorandum in the Federal Register
This 

## memorandum is not intended to 

### and does not create any right orbenefit substantive orprocedural enforceable at law orin equity 

### by any party against the United States its departments agencies or entities its officers employees oragents orany other person Executive departments 

### and agencies shall carry out the provisions of this 

## memorandum to the extent permitted 

### by law 

### and consistent with their statutory

### and regulatory authorities 

### and their enforcement 

### mechanisms 

# BARACK OBAMA